Process for purification of fluids



April 23, 1935. c. A. BULKELEY 1,998,774

PROCESS FOR PURIFICTION 0F FLUIDS Filed Jan. 19, 19:51 3 sheets-sheet 1y 4 0H' amante/a i8 l is April 2.3, 1935. c'..A.BU| KE| EY 1,998,774

PROCESS FOR PURIFICATION OF FLUIDS Filed Jan. 19, 1931 3 Sheds-Sheet 2 000101' anni i mdv 71591- ZZ Compressor ara/Cooler' April 23; 1935. C. A. BULKELEY 1,998,774

PROCESS FOR PURIFICATION lOF FLUIDS Filed Jan. 19, 1931 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Z557' Z 0001er awdzz` 9 'l n 13 E 13 45 -fi Patented Apr. 23, 193s f 1,998,774 I UNITED'4 STATES PATENT OFFICE PROCESS FOR PURIFICATION F Claude A. Bulkeley, Bulalo, NfY., asslgnor, by mesne assignments, to Chester F. Hockley, receiver of The Silica Gel Corporation Application January 19, 1931, Serial No. 509,570' v1:'. claims. (cl. iss-4) This invention relates to a process for the puri- Another object is to effect all the necessary cation of uids by adsorption and more parphases of reactivating, purging and' cooling by ticularly to the dehydration of carbon dioxide means of gas handled by the system, thereby proin a uniform stream of continuous volume by ad viding an entirely closed system and avoiding loss 5 sorption in an adsorbent or absorbent. 0r contamination of the gas as Well as eliminating 5 Many gases, such as carbon dioxide,` hydrogen, the necessity of providing extra equipment to oxygen, air, etc. contain certain foreign impurihandle another medium. ties, such as Water vapor, for example, which Another purpose is to avoid the use of jacketed must be entirely removed before the gas can be adsorbers or adsorbers which require special coils l0 successfully used in later processes. Particularor other special fittings fOr their Proper Operal0 ly is this true of carbon dioxide Where the cartion. l bon dioxide is processed by compression into solid' A further aim is to compress and cool the wet form or carbo-n dioxide ice for use as a refrigor impure gas before processing thereby reducing erant. This carbon dioxide before it is com- 4its volume and condensing out the moisture, in

pressed in the nal stage must be dehydrated com'- inVerse proportion. The remOVal 0f the bulk 0f l5 pletely. Asthevdehydrated carbon dioxide gas is the moisture requires less Werk t0 be done by fed to the nal stages of compression it must be the adsorbers and the-reduction in the volume supplied in a continuous steady volume or rate permits of a reduction in the size of the adsorbers of flow. Also since the gas has a value, none or and the piping, smaller piping Carrying the ing. it should be needlessly wasted and there must be creased weight of the gas under high compresno opportunity or chance for any of the undehysion with very little more friction than the large drated carbon dioxide to by-pass the dehydrapiping which would be required to handle an t-ion process and thus contaminate the dry gas equal weight of gas under no compression.

fed to the final stages of compression. Other purposes are to provide such a system One of the principal objects of this invention is which is relatively compact and simple in its conto provide a system in which the-operation of abstruction thereby rendering it easy to clean and sorbing the impurities from the fluid to be purirepair and also to provide such a system which ned is carried on by partly spent and a fresh can be operated with minimum attentionand or reactivateduadsorber in series and while the skill on the partof the operator.

spent adsorber is being reactivated and purged. In the present application, for the purpose of 30 By Such a System and by reactivating .and purgillustration only, it` has Vbeen assumed that the ing the adsorbers in succession the purification processes carried on is the dehydrating of carbon proceeds as a continuous process. dioxide with the use of activated alumina as an Another purpose is t0 DrOVide Such a process adsorbent, activated alumina being a relatively and apparatus which Will handle large 'volumes inexpensive adsorbent for this purpose. It is to 35 Of Qgasand Previde a stream 0f purified gas 0f be understood, however, that the processing of constant volume, this being particularly required carbon dioxide and also the use of activated in the manufacture of solid carbon dioxide ice. alumina is by way of example only and that the A further purpose is t0 provide such a prOCeSS invention can be embodied in a system for proc- {40 and system which produces thoroughly puried essing any fluid from which it is desired to re- 4o gas or other fluid and in which there is no danger move any impurity by passing the uid in conof contaminating the gas thrOugh the reaCiiVaG-- tact with any adsorptive or absorptive material ing and purging 0f the absorbent, Which reaetilin the manner hereinvdescribed and shown as apl vating and purging is necessary fOr Continuous plied to the dehydration of carbon dioxide. processing.

A still further aim is to provide Such a System ally in granular form' and screened to certain .which operates at extremely low cost in point of minimum and maximum sizes, these grammaheat consumption and 'the DOWer necessary t04 Ytions having been prepared by crushing and force the fluid thro-ugh the system and in Whi'eh screening. This granulated, activated alumina. also the system can beerected and installed at is' an adsorbent of watervapor, when it is mixed 50 very lowcost and can be made of standard parts. with any otherwise relativelyV inert gas, such as Another object is to provide such a system carbon dioxide and when this carbon dioxide conwhich will permit ofthe use o f low cost adsorbtaining water vapor is passed "through a bed of ents, such as activated alumina, and such adsorbactivated alumina. After the moist carbon dients whichrequireirequent'revivication. oxide gas has been passed through s uch a bed of 55 Activated alumina, and like adsorbents, is usu- 45 `activated alumina, the activated alumina becomes loaded with condensed wateryapor progressively beginning at the entrance side of the bed. When the major portion of the bed has been loaded or charged with the' water up to or near its capacity to act as an adsorber the adsorbentmust be taken out of service and be put- `cooled down to its original temperature of approximately 100 F. This can be most easily accomplished by passing cool gas through the bed.

Since in most cases the dehydrating process must be continuous, itbecomes'necessary to provide at least three independent beds of adsorbent. The three beds, according to the preesnt invention, are rotated in point of position in the process so that the three beds are reactivated and cooled in rotative order, always having two beds arranged so that the gas -tobe puried passes through them in series. With three beds the present method of operation results in three periods of time of equal duration which make up a complete cycle oi operations. During each of the three periods one of each of the three beds is being reactivated and cooled with thel other two beds in series and acting as adsorbers of the impurities in the gas. The gas is always iii-st passed through the bed which was in service during the previous period and from this bedv the gas passes through the next bed which was reactivated during the previous period. Thus the final stage of dehydration is always accom`- plished by the more recently reactivated bed. This tends to more thorough dehydration and permits the first bed on the line to be more nearly loaded to full capacity since a lack in 100% dehydration of the gas in this first bed will be made up for by the subsequent passing of the gas through the nal bed which-has been more recently reactivated. In the accompanying drawings all of the figures -represent the same system, the several I being cooled.

iigures being merely ow sheets illustrating the flow of gas during the nine operations which l'complete `a'cycle. y

Figs. 1-3 illustrate the ilow of the gas during the first period, in which in Fig. 1 the absorber A is being reactivated; in Fig. 2 this absorber A is being purged; and in Fig. 3 this absorber A is Figs. 4-6 illustrate the second period or opera- `tion composed of three operationsin which in Fig.` 4 the absorber B is being reactivated; in Fig. 5 this absorber B is being purged; and in Fig.

46 this absorber'B is being cooled.

Figs. 7-9 illustrate the third period of operation composed of three operations in which in Fig. 7

the absorber C is being reactivated; in Fig. 8 thisthat thev valve is opened and-when this handle is arranged at right angles to its line the valve is closed.

The gas, such as carbon dioxide, with a water content, is obtained from a supply line I, preferably passes through a water scrubber 2, a compressor and after cooler 3 and a heater 4. The compressor and after cooler 3 are not essential but are highly desirable since the compressionv of Wet carbon dioxide gas will result in the condensation of the bulk of its water content and also permits of the use or smaller distributing piping than if the gas were carried through the system under low pressure. The heater 4 is shown as heated by steam which is controlled by a steam supply valve 5.

From the heater 4 the unprocessed carbon dioxide gas passes into a pipe 6 which has three branches, one branch 1 containing a valve 8 and leading to the absorber A; the second branch 9 having a valve I leading to the absorber B; and the third branch II having a valve I2 leading to the absorber C. Each of these absorbers is alike in construction and is shown as comprising an enclosed cylinder I3 having an inlet at its bottom which is connected to the corresponding branch 1, 3 or Il and having an outlet at its top. In the bottoni of each shell I3 a screen I4 is supported in spaced relation to the bottom of the seal and on this screen I4 is supported a bed or granular adsorbent or absorbent material, such as activated alumina. The absorber A has its outlet connected by a line I6 with a line I1 containing a valve I8, and this outlet of the absorber A is also connected by a line I9 containing a valve 20 with the dry or purliied gas outlet line 2l. 'I'he line I1 connects with a cooler and condenser 22 which can be of any suit- Yable construction.

`vThe outlet of the absorber B is 'connected by a line 23 having a valve 24 with the dry or pure gas outlet line 2I and is also connected by a line 25 with a line 26 containing a.valve 21. This line 26 connects with a line 26 which in turn is connected -to the line I1 leading to the cooler and condenser 22.

The outlet of the absorber C is likewise connected by a branch 29 having a valve 30 with line 34 connecting with a pipe 36 which communicates with the inlet of absorber B. The 5 line 34 also connects with a line 31 having a valve 38, this line 31 connecting with a line 3S having a valve 40, this line 33 connecting -with the opposite end ot the cooler and condensery 22. This line 39 connected with the opposite end of the cooler and condenser 22 is also connected by a line 4I-containing a valve 42 with the dry or puriiled gas outlet line 2l.

The outlet line 25 of the, absorber B also connects with a line 43 having a valve 44 with a line 45 leading to the inlet of the absorber C. The line 43 is also connectedby a line 46 containing a valve 41 with a line 46 connected with the valve line 39 leading to the cooler and condenser 22. l y

'I he outlet branch line 3l of the absorber C also connects with a line 43 having a valve 50,

this line 43 connecting with the inlet of the absorber A and also being connected by a ranch line 5I containing a valve 52 with the lines 46 line 53 connects with the inlet of a pump 54,

the outlet of which connects with a line 55. 'I'his purging gas line 55 has a branch 56 containing a valve 51, which branchl connects it with the inlet of the absorber-YA and also has a branch 58 having a valvel 59 which connects it with the inlet of the absorber B and also has a branch 60 having a valve 6I which connects it with the inlet of the absorber C.

Operation With the above system, and assuming that the object is to dehydrate carbon dioxide, the operation is as follows:

The complete cycle ofoperations is divided into three periods of equal duration: in one period the absorber A being reactivated, purged and cooled; Vin' the second period the absorber 1 being reactivated. purged and cooled; and in the third period the absorber C being reactivated,

purged and cooled.

Fms'r Psiuop First operation of reactvating absorber A-Fz'g. 1

During this operation it has been assumed that the absorber A has been completely saturated with moisture and is practically dead, the absorber-B is partly spent and the absorbervC is entirely fresh. It is therefore necessary to reactivate the absorber A. In this condition of operation the steam supply valve 5 is open and consequently steam is passing through the heater 4. When therefore the moist carbon dioxide gas entering through the supply line I, water scrubber 2 and compressor and after cooler 3 leaves the heater 4 it is heated to from 300 to 400 F. This hot carbon dioxide gas passes through the line 6, valve 8 and line1 into the inlet of the absorber A and up through the bed of granulated alumina I5. At this high temperature the carbon dioxide gas drives out the Water' in the granular alumina I5, this Water being carried out with the gas through the line.

I6, valve I8 and line I1 to the cooler and condenser 22. In the cooler and condenser the temperature of the gas is lowered sulciently to condense out all of the water driven out of the alumina I5 in the labsorber A. The gas with the greater part of its water condensed out leaves the cooler and condenser 22 through the line 39, valve 48, line 31, valve 38and line 36 into the bottom of the partly spent absorber B. In paing up through the activated alumina of the absorber B the greater part of its remaining water content is absorbed bythe partially spent activated alumina therein and the gas passes out from the absorber B through theV line 25 and thence through the line 43, valve 44, to the line 45 which conducts it tothe bottom of the fresh absorber C. In passing up through the fresher reactivated alumina in the absorber C any water remaining in the gas is adsorbed and the dry, puried gas passes out through the line 29 and valve 30 into the dry gas outlet line 2l.

Second operation purging absorber .4-Fig. 2V

All the moisture has been taken out of the granular adsorbent in absorber A and to-place it lmoisture or impurities. During this operation which occupies a very small amount of timev as compared with the other operations the heater 4 is turned of! and the moist carbon -dioxidegas from the line I 'passes through the scrubber 2, compressor and after cooler 3, heater 4, line 6, lvalve I and line 9 into the lower end of absorber B. `In the partly spent absorber B apart of the water content is removed and the partly dry carbon dioxide gas passes out through the line 25, line 43, valve 44 and line45 into the bottom of the fresh absorber C. In passing lthrough the relatively freshly activated granular adsorbent in the absorber C the remaining water content of the gas is removed and the dry, purified gas passes out through the line 29, valve 30 into the dry gas outlet line 2I. To purge the absorber A Vduring this operation the blower 54 is turned on drives any remaining. impure or partly water-V laden carbon dioxide from the absorber A out through the line I6, valve I8, line I1, cooler and condenser 22, line 39, valve 40, line 31, valve 38, line 36, into the inlet of the absorber B where it joins the raw gas entering this absorber from the gas supply line I. This operation is continued until all impure gas is driven out of the absorber A and out of the piping system through which a part of the purified, dry gas is by-passed by the blower 54. It will be noted that the purging gas is cooled before entering the adsorber to be purged rthereby not only purging the adsorber but also cooling it to some extent.

Third operation cooling absorber A-Fz'g. 3

A very small amount of pure, dry gas is Withdrawn from the pure, dry gas outlet line 2I to purge absorber A and the associated piping and consequently it is necessary to have aglarge vol-4 ume of cool gas to cool absorber A from its high temperature of from 300 to 400 F. to 100 F. since activated alumina will not absorb moisture except at a relatively low temperature. Therefore to cool absorber A the steam supply to the heater 4 is continued to be cut off and the purging fan is also turned off'. In this condition of the apparatus and with the line valves suitably arranged the gas enters 'from thefsupply line I, through the water scrubber 2, compressor and after cooler 3, heater 4, line 6, valve I0, and line 9 and enters the bottom of the absorber B. 'I'he partly spent aluinina in the absorber B absorbs the greater partof the Water and the partly dried and line 49 into the inlet of hot absorber A. ThisA drygas in passing through the hot activated alumina I in the absorber A cools it down, the alumina cooling progressively from the bottom or entrance side to the top. As soon as this cooling process starts the bottom of the activated alumina in absorber A immediately becomes an effective adsorbent, should there be any traces of passes out through the dry gas outlet line 2|.

lSlicoim PERIOD Fourth operation reactivating absorber B-Fg. 4

'I'he absorber A is now entirely reactivated and cooled whereas the absorber B is entirely spent and the absorber C is partly spent. It is therefore necessary to reactivate absorber B. As shown in Fig. 4 during this operation the heater 4 is turned on and the carbon -dioxide gas entering from the line I, water scrubber 2, and compressor and after-cooler 3 is heated to from 300 to 400 F. in the heater 4 and passes out through the line y3. From this line it passes through the branch line 9 and valve I into the bottom of the absorber B and in passing through the spent alumina I therein drives out the moisture from the activated alumina, this hot, moist gas passing out through the line 25, valve 21, line 26, line 23 and line I1 into the cooler and condenser 22. cooler and condenserthe hot, wet gas is cooled down and a great part of itsv water is condensed out, the water condensed out being the water adsorbed from the activated alumina in passing through the spent absorber B. The carbon dioxide gas then passes through line 39, valve 40, line 48,-line 46, valve 41 and line 43 into the bottom of the partly spent absorber C. In passing through the activated alumina in this partly spent absorber C the greater part of the remaining water content is absorbed by the activated alumina and the partly dried gas passes out through the line 3|, valve 49, valve 59 into the bottom of the fresh or just previously reactivated absorber A. Inpassing through the freshly reactivated alumina in absorber A its remaining water content is removed and the completely dried and puriiled gas passes from the absorber- A through the branch I9 and valve 20 directly to the dry gas outlet line 2|.

Fifth operation purging absorber B`-Fia. 5

As soon as the water content has been driven out, of the activated alumina in the absorber B this absorber and its outlet lines are purged of any' remaining partly moist gas since it is necessary to use this absorler B as ,the final drying absorber in the next succeeding operation. For this operation the heater 4 is turned oil and the carbon dioxide gas enters from the supply line I, water scrubber 2, compressor and after cooler 3,

` heater 4, line 6, and branch line II and valve I2 into the bottom of the partly spent absorber C. In this absorber the greater part of the water is adsorbed and the partly dried gas passes out from this absorber through the line 3i, valve .50 and line 49 into the bottom of the fresher absorber Aw Thejalumina in this absorber A has just been reactivated and consequently any remaining traces gas outlet line 2|.

During this operation the fan 54 is-turned on and a small portion of the dry gasfloyling out throughthe dry gas outlet line 2| is withdrawn through the`line fand discharged into the line ss fram which a passes through the branch n and line I1 into the cooler and condenser 22.

From this cooler and condenser 22 the purging gas passes through the line 39, valve 40, line 48, line 4l, valve 41 and line 45 into the inlet of the absorber C where it joins the incoming unproc' yessed gas and passes through the system as just described.

Sixth operation cooling absorber B-Fig. 6

The adsorbent in absorber B is now completely reactivated but it is too hot to act as an absorber therefore the blower 54 is turned off and valves in the system suitably manipulated so that the carbon dioxide from inlet line |J water scrubber 2, ycompressor and after cooler 3, heater 4 and line C passes through branch line II and valve I2 into the bottom of the partly spent absorber C.' 'I'he adsorbent in partly spent absorberJ C 4adsorbs the greater part of the water content of the gas and the partly dried gas passes out through line 3|,Avalve il and line 49 into the botf tom of the freshest absorber A. In passing through the alumina in absorber A any remaining traces of water are removed from the carbon dioxide and the pure and drycarbon dioxide fpasses through the line Il, line 34, valve 35and line 36 into the bottom of absorber B. In pass.- ing through the hot adsorbent in absorber B it cools the adsorbent until it is at a proper temperature to act in adsorbing and the gas is, of course, heated. This hot, dry gas passes from the absorber B through line 25, valve 21, line 26 and :line I1 into the cooler and condenser. In this cooler and condenser it is cooled down and the cool and pure gas leaves through the line 39, valve 42 and line 4I which conducts it to the dry gas outlet line 2|.

\ THInn'PsRIon At the end of the second period the absorber A is partly spent, the absorber B has just been reactivated, and is fresh and the absorber C is entirely spenti 'Ihe heater 4 is thereforeturned on and the carbon dioxide entering the supply line I through the water scrubber 2 andl compressor and after cooler 3 is raised `to from 300 to 400 F. in the heater 4 and passes through the line 3, valve I2 andbranch II tothe bottom of the spent absorber C. This hot gas in passing up through the granular absorbent in absorber C drives off the moisture therein and the hot, moist 1 carbon dioxide passes up through the line '3I, valve 33, line 32, 23 and I1 into the cooler and condenser 22 where -all the moisture absorbed from the granular adsorbent is condensed .out of the gas. The partly dried gas thereupon passes out through the branch 39, valve 40, line 48, line 5|, valve 52 and line 49 ihto the bottom of the partly spent absorber A. In the absorber A the greater part oi' the moisture from the gas is absorbed by the activated alumina and the partly 'dried carbon dioxide gas passes out through' the line I6, line 34, valve 35 and line 36 to the bottom of the fresh absorber B. In passing out through the freshly reactivated adsorbent-in the absorber -B any remaining traces of water`are adsorbed from the gas and the dry and puried gas passes out through the line 23 and valve 24 directly to thedryandpuregasoutletlineu.- v

Eighthoperaticn purging absorber- C-Fig. 8

the gas entering through the inlet line I, waterscrubber 2, compressor and after cooler 3, heater 4 and line 6 passes through the valve 8 and branch 1 into'the partly spent absorber A. In passing through the activated alumina I in this absorber the greater part of the moisture or impurities in the gas are taken out and the partly dried gas passes through the line IB, line 34, valve 35- and line 36 into the bottom of the freshly reactivated absorber B. The freshly reactivated alumina in' this absorber B adsorbs any remaining traces lof water and the dry gas passes out through the line 23 and valve 24 to the dry gas outlet linc 2|. 'I'he blower 54 through its inlet connection 53 withdraws a small percentage of this dry and pure gas and forces it through the line 55, branch 60 and valve 6I into the inlet of the absorber C. 'I'his dry, pure gas drives any unprocessed gas from the absorber C and forces it through the line 3I, line 32, valve 33, line 28 and line I'I into the cooler and condenser 22. The cooled gas passes out through the line 39, valve 40, line 48, line 5I, valve 52 and line 49 to the inlet of the absorber A where it mingles with the raw or unprocessed gas and is carried through the ab"- sorbers inthe manner described.

Ninth operation cooling absorber C-Fig. 9

As soon as all remaining traces of wet or unprocessed carbon dioxide gas have been driven out of absorber vC andits outlet piping system the blower 54 is turned off andthe valves adjusted so that the gas entering through the inlet line I, water scrubber 2, compressor and after cooler 3 and heater 4 pass through the line 6, valve 8 and branch 1 directly into the bottom of the partly spent absorber A. In this absorber the greater part of the moisture is adsorbed and the partly dried gas passes out through the line I6, line 34, valve 35, and line 36 directly into the inlet of the freshly reactivated absorber B. Any remaining traces of moisture are adsorbed by passing through the bed of freshly reactivated alumina in this absorber B and the dry and pure gas leaves this absorber through the line 25, line 43, valve 44 and line 45 directly to the bottom or inlet of the absorber C. In passing through the bed of alumina in this absorber C it cools the.

bed from 300 to 400 F. to 100 F. and the gas is heated and passes out through line 3 I, valve 33, lines 32, 28 and I1 into the cooler and condenser 22 where it is cooled. 'I'he cooled, dry and pure gas then passes out from the cooler and condenser 22 through the line 39, valve 42 and line 4I directly into the dry gas outlet line 2l.

At the end of this operation the absorber A is spent or dead, the absorber B is partly spent and the absorber C is freshly reactivated. Therefore the apparatus is in the condition assumed in the beginning of the cycle of operations and the process can be continued. i

It will be noted that during the purging operation the dry gas employed for purging is simultaneously delivered with wet gas into the absorber B and nally back into the dry gas line and that there is no change in the rate of flow of dry gas from the system, the absorbers and the cooler and condenser-22 with all connecting pip'- ing are thus purged of all gas containing any moisture and this-purging .is done only with the same gas after it has been dehydrated thus eliminating any possible contamination of the dry gas by moisture or from the use of a gas of any other kind or character than the pure, dehydrated gas which is the product of the system; Only a small portion, say-five to fifteen percent of the total dry gas outlet is required for this purging operation as it is almost-entirely a gas displacement operation and does not require a long time, the time consumed for the purging operation being about 2% of the period for reactivating, purging and cooling any absorber.

The cooling operation also consumes but a comparatively small amount of time this being from 4 to 8% of the time of each period. Also since the lower portion of the adsorbent bed is cooled almost immediately, the cooled adsorbent begins to act as a third absorber in series with the other two thus further assuring that the gas will be completely dehydrated toward the end of the period when the ilrst absorber in the series is well saturated and the intermediate` absorber is partly so. l'Ihis is an important point since as the ilrst two absorbers lose in eiliciency the third gains in emciency during the cooling operation and completely insures that no moist gas will enter the dry gas produced by the system. This permits the iirst absorber in the series during the cooling operation to be run longer and adsorb more moisture though by so operating -it will be less efcient as an absorber. Another important result in the present process and system is that by compressing the wet gas from say normal atmospheric to ninety pounds absolute pressure the volume of gas is reduced to onesiXth the original. If this gas after having been compressed is cooled to its original temperature before compressing, ve-sixths of the moisture will have been condensed out, this leaving only one-sixth as much water vapor to be removed and requiring only the same relativev amount of adsorbent material and size of adsorbers. Also the sizeof all distributing piping will be reduced and the cost of the system also decreased, for while the weight of the gas handled remains the same the volume has been greatly reduced and a smaller pipe will carry the same weight of gas per unit of time with the same frictionloss. This is due to the fact that friction to the ,ilow of gases goes up as the square root of the density While the weight of the gases increases directly as the density.

It is obvious that the illustration of the invention isdiagrammatic and that instead of all the individual valves shown, these could be diaphragm valves operated from suitable master valves or master control means thereby greatly vsimplifying the operation of the device.

2. Purging the parts of equipment "previously containing impure gas andv doing this purging with pure gas processed by the system completely assures'free'dom from contamination of the final pure gas by any impurities or by a kind of gas other than that being processed. l

3. Reactivating with the raw. luntreated gas in advance of and as a previous step to a subsequent puriiication and the cooling to its original' temperature and the extraction of the impurities it has picked up in reactivating an absorber resuits in the raw gas entering the absorbers for` purification in the same condition as though it had not been used for reactivation.

4. 'Ihe purging by the processed gas produced by the system and reactivating with raw, untreated gas assure a constant flow at the outlet of the system of purified gas at all times and since the same gas is employed exclusively for all of these operations there is no contamination of the system by the introduction of a foreign gas in the system.

While I have shown a'particular form of system and described it as being used in connection with activated alumina as an adsorbent and in processing carbon dioxide gas it will be understood that the system is applicable to the treatment of any fluid withany form of adsorbent or absorbent and that the system can be varied widely without departing from the spirit and scope of the accompanying claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a process of the character described, the steps consisting in treating the fluid to be purified to convert it into a purifying agent passing said purifying uid through a spent absorber in contact with the absorbent therein, subsequently removing a portion of the impurities from said fluid and restoring it to its original character and then passing said fluid through a second absorber where its remaining impurities are removed.

2. In a process of the character described, the steps consisting in treating the fluid to be purified to convert it into a purifying agent, passing said purifying fluid through a spent absorber in contact with the absorbent therein, wherebysaid purifying fluid becomes mixed with the impurities driven oif from said adsorbent subsequently removing a portion of the impurities from said mixed iiuid and restoring it to its original character and then passing said fluid through a second absorber where its remaining impurities are removed and subsequently reversing the absorbers in point of position in the system when said active absorber is spent and said spent absorber is reactivated. K

3. In a process of the character described, the steps consisting in passing the uid to be puried through an active absorber to remove its impurities, reactivating a spent absorber, purging said reactivated absorber by passing the puried iiuid through said reactivated absorber, passing said purging fluid through said active absorber and reversing the absorbers in point of position in the system as they alternately become spent and reactivated.

4. In a process of the character described, the steps consisting in treating the fluid to be purified to convert it into a purifying agent, passing said purifying fluid through a spent absorber to reactivate said spent absorber whereby said spent absorber becomes a reactivated absorber, subsequently removing a portion of the impurities from said fluid and restoring it to its original character, passing said iiuid through an active absorber where its remaining impurities are removed, subsequently cutting oi the iiow f purifying fluid through said reactivated absorber, passing the untreated uid through said active absorber, withdrawing a portion of the purified -5 fluid and passing it throughr said reactivated absorber to purge said reactivated absorber and discharging said purging iluid through said active absorber and reversing the absorbers in point of position in the system as they alternately become spent and reactivated.

y5. In a process of the character described, the steps consisting in heating the fluid to be puried, passing said heated uid through a spent absorber to drive oi the impurities and reactive the spent absorber, subsequently cooling said uid and condensing out apart of the impurities therein, passing said cooled uid through an active absorber to remove the remaining impurities therein, cutting oi the ow of heated iiuid through said spent absorber after it has been reactivated, passing said fluid unheated through said active absorberto remove the impurities in said uid and subsequently passing the purified fluid from said active absorber through said reactivated absorber to cool `said reactivated absorber and reversing the absorbers in point of position in the system as they alternately become spent and reactivated.

6. In a process for use in a uid purification system having at least three `absorbers, one of which is spent, the intermediate one of which is partly spent and the third active, the steps which consist in treating the iiuid to convert itinto a purifying agent, passing said purifying fluid through said spent absorber to reactivate said spent absorber by removing the impurities in said spent absorber, restoring the said purifying fluid from said spent absorber to its original character, and removing 9, part of the impurities therein, passing said restored fluid successively through said partly spent and active absorbers i to remove the remaining impurities therein, cutting off the ow of treated fluid to said spent absorber after it has been reactivated and passing the uid untreated directly through said partly spent and active absorbers to remove the impurities from vsaid fluid, withdrawing a portion of the purified fluid from said system and passing it through said reactivated absorber to purge it of any impure fluid, passing said purging gas through at least one of the other absorbers, subsequently passing the puried iiuidfrom said operative absorbers through said reactivated and purged absorber to restore it to its proper operating temperature and successively advancing the absorbers in point of position in the system as they become successively spent, partly spent and reactivated.

7. In a fluid puriiication process of the character described, in a system having three absorbers, one of which is spent, the other partly spent and the third active, the steps comprising heating the raw fluid to be purified to a relatively high temperature, passing said heated fluid through said spent absorber to drive on the impurities absorbed by said spent absorber, subsequently cooling the iiuid and condensing a part of its impurities, passing said cooled, fluid successively through said partly spent and active absorbers to remove the remaining impurities from said fluid, cutting off the ow of hot fluid to said spent` absorber after said spent absorber has been reactivated, passing the `raw unheated fluid directly through said partly spent and active abisl sorbers whereby all impurities are removed from said fluid, withdrawing a portion of the purified fluid and passing it through said reactivated absorber to purge it of any impure fiuid remaining therein, cooing said purging uid on leaving said reactivated absorber and returning it through at least one of the other absorbers, cutting off said purging iiuid, subsequently passing the purified uid from the other absorbers through said reactivated absorber to cool it, said reactivated absorber becoming active immediately following the commencement of its cooling and in its position at the tail end' of the flow of gas insuring the complete purification and changing said absorbers in point of position in the system as they become successively spent, partly spent and reactivated to secure a, continuous flow of a constant quantity of purified fluid.

8. The method of separating a vapor from a mixture of gas and vapor comprisingfirst heating the mixture, then passing the heated mixture through adsorbent containing adsorbed vapor to enrich the mixture `and activate the adsorbent,

f then cooling the mixture, then separating the condensate therefrom, nally passing the mixture through adsorbent to remove remaining va- `por, and periodically reversing the position of the adsorbents in the cycle.

9, The method of separating a vapor from a mixture of gas and vapor comprising first loweringthe relative humidity of the gas, then contacting the gas and a batch of adsorbent containing adsorbed vapor to raise the relative humidity of the gas and to activate the adsorbent, then lowering the temperature of the mixture below the dew point, then separating the condensate, finally contacting the mixture with a batch of unsaturated adsorbent to remove remaining vapor, and periodically exchanging the positions of the batches of adsorbent.

` 10. The method of removing a condensible from a gaseous mixture comprising first lowering the relative humidity of the mixture, then increasingY the absolute humidity by contact with adsorbent containing the condensible, then lowering the temperature below the dew point and removing the condensate, finally further reducing the absolute humidity by contact with unsaturated adsorbent, and then reversing the order of flow over the adsorbents.

11. The method of removing a' condensible from a gaseous mixture comprising bringing the mixture into heat exchanging relation to heating means, contacting the heated mixture and a partially saturated adsorbent, cooling the enriched mixture to precipitate a portion of the condensible, removing the condensate, contacting the cooled mixture and active adsorbent, delivering the stripped gaseous residueremoving the heating means from the circuit to cool the rst mentioned adsorbent, and then transferring the positions of the adsorbents in the circuit and returning the heating means to the circuit.

12. The method of removing a condensible from a, gaseous mixture comprising passing the mixture successively into direct contact with two 'batches of adsorbent, r'st conditioning the mixadsorbent that has become charged with water in drying gas ina previous cycle to activate the adsorbent, cooling the eiliuent mixture to precipitate some of the moisture, separating the condensate from the gas, then passing the gas through a second mass of activated porous solid adsorbent to remove the remaining moisture and periodically reversing the position o'f the masses of adsorbent in the cycle.

CLAUDE A. BUiKEmY. 

